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April 18, 2014

It's been another inspiring sale at Perfect Pattern Parcel. While we haven't wrapped up Parcel #2 just yet, we are humbled that with your help we have already raised another $1,800 for the charity DonorsChoose.org. (Claps hands!) Those funds are a huge help to teachers and students in need. The notes sent from the teachers we helped during Parcel #1 really cemented our decision to give the remainder of our profits after expenses to charity. Thank you for your generosity.

Hanimis by fake it while you make it, Needle and Ted, C'est La Vie, Modern Handmade, & A Jennuine Life

We've also been SUPER inspired in seeing the projects you've all been sewing up with the patterns in Parcel #2. If you've been following along on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook, we've been showing off the garments made by both the bloggers on our tour and the ones you have shared with us. Really amazing stuff!

In order to continue to encourage you as awesome-sauce makers, we've decided to host a Parcel #2 Sewalong! Now through May 2nd, post your Parcel #2 projects to your Kollabora profile. Don't have a Kollabora page yet? WHAT?!? Kollabora is a DIY project sharing site made by makers for makers. It's really an awesome site that we love and think you will love, too. When you post your Parcel #2 Sewalong projects make sure to include 'Pattern Parcel #2' in the “Supplies” section of your project so that it shows up in the PPP feed!

Need some inspiration to get started on the Parcel #2 Sewalong? Each of our lovely blogger's posts are pinned to the Official Pattern Parcel pinterest board. I encourage you to also peruse their blogs as they do some really amazing work.

To sweeten the Parcel #2 Sewalong, we've also added in a big giveaway. Every day that you add a project to your Kollabora profile and tag the supply as Pattern Parcel #2, you can get 5 entries in to the giveaway. There are also a handful of other ways to win, too. Oh, you want to know what we're giving away? Only a Brother 1034D Serger! :)

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Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts! Can't wait to see what you make for the Sewalong...

April 10, 2014

I live my life with little to no regret. Bad things that happen to you are learning experiences for the future. Every event that has occurred in your life up until this point has shaped the person you are. When the going gets tough, think to yourself, “Why am I doing this? What is important to me?”

The events that happened this pat weekend that ultimately led to Rachael and Pattern Parcel parting ways left me reeling. I had lost my blogging best friend, and all of a sudden overnight my blog and business were nothing by stress, chaos and confusion. I was left to ponder:

“Why am I doing this? Why did I start my blog and Pattern Parcel? Why should I keep going?”

It all just brought me back to the core of it all. I love to share what I make and teach people how to make it too. I love the online making community. I am passionate about independent, small designer businesses. I think it is incredibly important to give back and be charitable.

This is what is important to me and my family. This is what Danny and I believe in. We believe in being good people. We believe in helping others. We want to teach our children to hold these beliefs close to their hearts.

We also thinking running a business is fun and it’s even more fun to do together. Building something from nothing, creating a product that customers want, making the first sale...it’s exciting. Pattern Parcel is a learning tool. We read books and attend webinars. We test new ideas and analyze the results. It’s like our third baby, except I didn’t have a c-section to give birth to it and it’s not giving me stretch marks. ;)

We’re going back to the basics of it all. Supporting indie designers, being charitable, and developing community. Don’t worry. Nothing about Perfect Pattern Parcel is changing for you. We’re going to continue to build awesome collections of patterns from kickass designers. We’ll be continuing to feature talented bloggers who showcase the versatility of the patterns. And as always, we're going to continue to let you choose your price for the patterns and Pattern Parcel is still going to cover all the costs associated with running the sales. Then we're going to donate the rest. We may even be throwing in a sew-a-long contest or two. ;)

Thank you for reading to the end with me here. I am sincerely thankful for your support. It’s why I fell in love with blogging and this community.

Want to help and be part of Perfect Pattern Parcel
? Please shoot us an email at info@patternparcel.com. We'd love to have you.

April 8, 2014

If your kids are anything like mine, they love their Prefontaine Shorts. I recently went through Jimmy's dresser to make a box of hand-me-downs for his cousin and to cycle in the larger sizes in anticipation of warmer weather. I did this in the hopes of sending winter away, but it snowed one more time. Grr... In any case, while were were cleaning shorts out Jimmy saw these:

Unfortunately they are obscenely too small for him now, never mind when he would wear them three months for now. Into the hand-me-down box they went. Cue the tears. Huge, pathetic tears. So I promised him new ones. Lots of new Prefontaines.

Since it's a bit too cool here for shorts I lengthened the pattern in to Prefontaine Track Pants. Success! They're great comfy, wide leg pants. Or hell, even jammies. Lord knows Jimmy would wear them day and night if I let him.

Here's how you do it:
Use a clear gridded quilting ruler to mark a line 1.5" above the bottom of the front pattern piece parallel to the bottom edge. Make sure the line you makre is above the entire retro curve of the side seam, but below the crotch point. Mark a second line on your back pattern piece the exact same distance up from the bottom hem. Cut the bottoms off of both pattern pieces along those lines.

Measure your kiddo's hip to ankle length. Tape paper to your both pattern pieces. Reattach the retro curved hems of the pattern pieces so that the length of the pattern's side seam is your child's hip to ankle length plus 1.5". True the inseam pattern lines to match crotch points and bottom hems.

You will need to make a longer length of "bias" tape tshirt trim but one upcycled tshirt was still more than enough. Then just assemble your track pants as you would the Prefontaine Shorts. Easy, peasey. Now I've got one happy boy.

Don't have a copy of the Prefontaine Shorts for Kids pattern yet? It's part of the Pattern Parcel #2 sale as the Bonus Pattern. Or you can get it directly here.

April 4, 2014

The countdown timer has ticked down to zero and I can finally share the patterns in Parcel #2 with you all! Without further ado, I present to you Pattern Parcel #2. Sugar, spice and everything nice. Parcel #2 is a collection of essential Spring patterns to wardrobe a little girl. Right in time for Kids Clothes Week and the Spring holidays.

Parcel #2 also has a Bonus Pattern. To unlock the Bonus Pattern and have it included in your Parcel #2 purchase, just choose a price of $24 or greater. The Prefontaine Shorts for Kids by Made with Moxie will automatically be added to your Parcel!

Need a little inspiration on how to mix and match the sewing patterns in Parcel #2? Check out this little video we made for you. A special thanks to Thomas Knauer for letting us use his fabulous fabric designs! I am again jealous that these garments do not come in my size.

Now, I know exactly what you are thinking. "I wish I had a set of those Parcel Dolls!" You wish has been granted! The ever fantastic Rachael has created this printable of perfection just for you. Now you can print our your own Parcel Doll set and use them to design your Parcel #2 makes. You are going to want to print out at least two, you know, so the kids can color on their own. ;)

Don't forget, Kids Clothes Week starts next week! Now you can have a brand new collection of indie patterns to sew up for your little ones. Let's face it, your sweet girl is going to look so damn adorable in these patterns. Go grab yourself a copy of Parcel #2 and don't forget you have to choose a price of $24 or higher to unlock the Bonus Pattern.

Happy Friday, y'all! Have fun with your Parcel Dolls. I hope your weather is warm and your cares are light.

April 1, 2014

Pull out your calendars, friends. Next week is Kid's Clothes Week, and more importantly, this Friday is the much anticipated launch of Pattern Parcel #2. That's right, this Friday at 9am EST. Don't sweat the time zone. We put a countdown timer on the site for you. ;)

Now as much as I should be prepping for KCW next week, I can't hep but want to abandon it all because I know is coming up! That's right! Rachael of imagine gnats and I have another week of amazing indie patterns to feature and for you to WIN!WE have some juicy patterns lined up that you will love to sew up. So grab a pen and draw a line through April 28th through May 3rd. Because that week is for you.

As makers we often put others first. We sew for gifts. We make clothes for our families. We knit for charity. We create to fill our stores. When was the last time you allowed yourself some Me Time? Women have spent the past, well, forever, being raised to think that we should always put others first and that do do anything else makes you an awful person. It's the reason we make less money, don't climb the career ladders as high, and a wealth of other issues. We guilt ourselves and each other if we ever allow ourselves to be first. And it's just stupid. I've never seen another man point a finger in another man's face and accuse him of being selfish.

So twice a year, for one week, for at least one hour a day, I am giving you permission to do some selfish sewing (or knitting, quilting, crocheting, etc). Use your skills and talents to make yourself sometime nice!

This year we'll be hosting Selfish Sewing Week over at Kollabora. If you have not joined Kollabora yet you are missing out. I know what you're thinking. Just one more social media thing to update and tend to. Not so! I implore you to go check out their site. You can share your projects, make a brand page if you have one, even sell your patterns through them. Kollabora was designed by makers for makers. It's like FlickR, but none of the things that make you hate it. Just way, way better. I'm in love. You can even make collections of your favorite patterns or projects for future inspiration.

Selfish Sewing Week is sponsored by Girl Charlee, Hawthorne Threads, and Auriful. If you are not familiar with these companies, do check them out. I love their fabrics and threads. Plus, great customer service. I've got a Girl Charlee order on the way that I can not wait to dig into!

So, yes lots of sewing coming up! Pattern Parcel #2 is this Friday. KCW next week and Selfish Sewing Week April 28-May 3. See you on Friday, when we reveal the patterns included in Parcel #2. Woo Hoo!